End connector for watch bracelets



Oct. 21, 1952 o, KQSTKA 2,614,307

END CONNECTOR FOR WATCH BRACELETS Filed March 29, 1949 INVENTOR.

OTTO R. KOSTKA ATTORNEYS Patented Get. 21, 1952 ilNlTED STATES PATENT OFFICE END CONNECTOR FOR WATCH BRACELETS Otto Robert Kostka, Providence, R. 1., assignor to Marvel Jewelry Mfg. Company, Providence, R. I., a corporation of Rhode Island Application March 29, 1949, Serial No. 84,039

' 9 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in an end connector for watch bracelets and has for an object the provision of. an improved end connector for use in connection with wrist bands and bracelets for watches which permits of the band or bracelet. being quickly and easily att-ached to and detached from a wrist watch.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved end connector which establishes a strong and dependable connection between the watch and the bracelet so that the likelihood or" accidentally becoming unf-astened is negligible.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved device of this type which when closed and in use on the wrist of the wearer will present a compact, neat and highly ornamental appearance with the-operating mechanism completely concealed.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide an improved structure which comprises relatively few parts of simple construction so that the cost of manufacture is small and the chance of becoming broken or out of order is slight. Accordingly, it is not necessary for repairing jewelers to have on hand a large variety of replacement parts and the owner of a bracelet provided with the improved device thereon is not subjected to the'annoyance caused by frequent breakage of parts. 1

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention will be hereinafter more fully described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, in which the same parts are denoted by the same reference numerals throughout the several views,

- Figure l is a top perspective View of the improved device constructed in accordance with the present invention and illustrated in the closed condition as applied to a wrist watch and an expansible bracelet,

Figure 2 is an enlarged bottom perspective view of the improved end connector with the device open and parts broken away,

Figure 3 is a sectional View taken on the line 33 of Figure 2,-

Figure 3A is a fragmentary view showing the initial engagement of the latch member with the keeper during the movement of the latch member to its latching position,

Figure 4 is a top perspective view of the bottom plate,

Figure 5 is an exploded perspective view of the top plate and the latching means,

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-6 of Figure 3, and

Figure 7 is a fragmentary view of th keeper and the latch member showing in dotted lines the initial engagement of the latch member with the keeper and in full lines the fully latched position of the latch member and the keeper.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, [0 indicates a conventional wrist watch having a usual knuckle H, and I2 indicates an expansible bracelet of the conventional type which is adapted to be detachably connected the the knuckle II of the wrist watch I 0.

The bracelet I2 is removably attached to the wrist watch H] by the improved end connector which comprises a top plate I3, a bottom plate It, a spring [5 and a movable U-sha-ped latch member having legs l6 and 16 and a connecting portion l6.

The top plate I3 has a medially disposed .V- shaped depression or cradle I! and rearwardly of the depression ll the top plate has an'area It which is provided with a substantially flat inner and outer surface. Forwardly of the depression I? the top plate has areas l9 and 29, the inner surfaces of which are substantially flat. The top plate 43 has at one side thereof downwardly extending flanges 2| and 22 which are angularly disposed to one another and the flange 2i has a Vshaped portion 23 which conforms to the contour of the V-shaped recess I1.

A depending flange 24 is disposed at the for ward edge of the flat area i 9 of the top plat and a similar flange 25 is disposed at the forward edge of the area 20 of the top P ate. The portion of the top plate between the areas I 9 and 20 is cutaway as at 26 to provide a recess for the reception of the knuckle ll of the wrist watch Ill. At the rear of this cut-away portion 28 the top plate is bent downwardly to provide flanges 21, 28 and 29. The flange 23 is disposed forwardly of and parallel to the longitudinal axis of the depression ['7 of the top plate and the flanges 21 and 29 are disposed at substantially right angles to the flange 28. The flange 27 is substantially the same depth as the flange 28 and its rear edge is joined to the flange 28. The forward edge of the flange 21 is inclined downwardly and rearwardly as indicated at 35 to provide a cam surface on the flange 21. The flange 29 has a depth less than that of the flange 28 and has its rear edge joined thereto and its forward edge is secured to the inner face of the flange 25.

The top late l3 has at. its opposite side depending flanges 3! and 32 which are angularly disposed to one another. The forward edge of the flange 3| is united to the flange 25 and the flange 32 has an angularly disposed portion 33. The rear edge portion of the top plate is bent downwardly to provide flanges 34 and 35 which are of lesser depth than the flanges 2| and 33 and are connected thereto, respectively. The flanges '34 and 35 are disposed at an angle of the order of'90 degrees to one another and are joined together by a semi-circular portion 36.

The spring I is disposed within the top plate in an upstanding position and has the medial portion of its upper edge curved as indicated at 31 to be received by the depression or cradle H. The upper edgeof the spring I5 forwardly "and rearwardly of its medial portion 31 is substantially flat as indicated at 38 and '39, respectively, and its flat portions engage the flat areas I9 and I8, respectively, of the top plate I3. The spring I5 has its medial portion longitudinally bowed outwardly as indicated at '40 and'the lower edge part of the medial portion of the spring .-is cutaway to provide a keeper 4| at the forward edge of the spring and a depending lug 42 adjacent the :rear edge of the spring.

The bottom plate I4 is substantially flat and its outer contour correspondsgenerally with that of the top plate I3. The plate I4 has angularly disposed side edges 43 and -44 engaging the inner faces of the flanges 22 and 2|, respectively, of the top plate and the edge 44 of the bottom ,plate H has a notch '45 which receives the lug 42 of the spring I5. The rear edge portion of .the bottom plate I4 underlies the .flanges34 and:35 of the top plate and the bottom plate :II4 .has'its rear edge 46 engaging the :inner face of :the flange 33 of the top plate I3. I

The bottom plate I4 is also provided with angularly disposed side edges 41 and 418 :enga'ging the inner faces of the flanges 3| and "32, respectively, of the top plate I3 and forward edges 49 and 50 which engage the inner faces of the flanges 25 and 24, respectively, of the'top plate. The bottom plate I4 has adjacent its side edge 41 an upwardly turned flange '5I which engages the flat surface 20 of the top plate I3. Adjacent its edge 43 the bottom plate I4 is cutaway as at 52 so that the keeper M will be .exposed in order to permit the nose'53 of the leg I5 of the latch member to engage it.

The other leg N5 of the latch member is pivotally mounted in a U-shaped bearing having legs 54 and 55 and a connecting portion 56. The-legs 54 and 55 have downwardly extending lugs 5? which are received by openings 58 in the bottom plate I4. At each side of the lugs 51 the legs 54 and 55 are provided with shoulders 59 which engage the inner surface of the bottom plate I4 .when the lugs 51 are received by the openings 58. The lugs 51 may be upset as by peening to secure the bearing to the bottom plate I4.

The improved connector is secured to the-end link 80 of the under portion of the bracelet I2 .by a rivet 6| which extends through an opening 52 in the'bottom plate I4. Therivet 6| .is received ,by the pocket formed by the flanges 34 and 35 and the semi-circular portion=36 of :the top plate I3. The end link 63 of the upper portion of thebracelet I2 is received by a'recess 64 formed by the flanges 34 and 35 of the top-plate I3. The link 63 rests upon the upper surface of the rear edge portion of the bottom plate I4. The bottom plate I4 is retained within the top plate I3 by the bent over flanges 65 which engage the lower surfaceof. the bottom plate. Theforvides a recess 66 which accommodates the connecting portion I6 of the movable latch member when the latch member is in its closed position.

In the use of the device when it is desired to attach the wrist watch I0 to the bracelet I2, the leg I6 of the movable latch member is threaded through the opening :in the knuckle II of the wrist watch and the knuckle II is moved into the recess 26. During this operation the nose 53 of the movable latch member engages the keeper 4| of the spring I5 and moves it to the dotted line position shown in Figure 3 of the drawing. As shown particularly in Figures 3A and 7 of the drawings, the keeper 4| is inclined upwardly and outwardly to'facilitate the initial engagement of the nose 53 with the inner face of the keeper.

Since the lug 42 of the spring is in contact with the sides-of the notch 45 of the bottom plate, the rear end ortion of thespring will be restrained against any appreciable movement and the forward portion .of the spring will pivot on ;the bowed portion 40 of the spring. This pivotal movementof the forward portion of thesprlng will place the spring under-tension and permit the nose 53-of the movablelatch'memberato move past the keeper 4|. Assoon as the nose !53 has clearedthe keeper 4| the spring will-immediately move from the dotted line position shown in Figure 3 .to;the full line position shown in that figure and the nose .53 will .be received by the notch 61 formed by cutting away the upper forward edge portion of the keeper 4|. Thekeeper 4| will retain the leg I6" of the movable latch member in its closed positionso that ;the connector ,will be securely attached :to the wrist watch.

In order to remove the .wrist watch from the bracelet it is merely necessary to press against the keeper 4| to move thesame out of the path of the-nose 53 of the movable latchmember and to swingthe movable latch member on its bearing 58 to the open position shown in .Figure 2. The inclined forward edge 30 of the flange 21 will act'as a cam on the leg I5 .tomove the leg .IB into engagement with the inner surface of the leg of the .U-shaped bearing member so that in its closed position the movable latch member will'berestrained against movement in a forward or rearward direction. The inclined edge 30 of the flange 21 will also'act as a stop for limiting the movement of the keeper 4| towards the recess 26 so that in moving the leg I6 to its closed position the nose53-will beable to-cam the keeper 4| to the dotted line position shown in Figure 3. .Since the edge 30 of the flange 21 is inclined upwardlyand forwardly'the edge 30 will engage the spring I5 so as to limit the movement of the keeper 4| into the recess 26, so that when the leg I6 ,is moved to its .closed position the nose 53 will notjam ,on the keeper, but will cam the keeper-4| to thedotted line position shown in, Fig. 3.

:Whatlclaim is:

1. For use in joiningawatch casement having open ended attaching knuckles to a bracelet, an improved end connector for watch bracelets comprising a bottom plate having a recess therein, a top platehaving downwardly depending flanges r pp rting said top plate above said bottom plate, said top plate having a recess complementary to and disposed in vertical alignment with the recess in said bottom plate, a latch member hingedly carried by said'bottomplate and posi. tioned to move towardssaid-plates at substantially right angles to the planes thereof and to pass through and beyond said bottom plate recess to be received by said top plate recess, and spring.

means carried between said top and bottom plates positioned to engage said latch member when said latch member is swung to a seated position within said top plate recess and in a plane substantially parallel to said bottom plate, said recesses being adapted to envelope the open end portions of the attaching knuckle of the watch casement and said latch member being positioned to pass through said attaching knuckle and retain said knuckle within said recesses.

2. For use with a device having an attaching knuckle projecting therefrom an improved connector comprising a bottom plate having a recess therein, a top plate having a recess therein complementary to the recess in said bottom plate, downwardly depending flanges carried by said top plate for supporting the same vertically above said bottom plate, a bearing on one of said plates, a U-shaped movable latch member having one leg pivotally carried by said bearing and the other leg disposed to swing across the recesses in said top and bottom plates, a spring disposed between said plates and having a, keeper portion disposed in the path of movement of said other leg of the latch member, and a nose on said other leg of said latch member positioned to engage and move said keeper portion out of the path of movement of said other leg of said latch member thereby placing said spring under tension until said nose clears said keeper portion and sets therebehind to retain said other leg of the latch member in the latched position.

3. An end connector for watch bracelets as claimed in claim 1 characterized by the fact that said top plate has a cradle and that said spring has a curved portion received by said cradle.

4. An end connector for watch bracelets as claimed in claim 3 characterized by the fact that said spring has a lug and that said bottom plate has a notch for receiving said lug.

5. For use with a device having an attaching knuckle projecting therefrom an improved connector comprising a bottom plate having a recess therein, a top plate having a recess therein complementary to the recess in said bottom plate, means for securing said plates together in spaced apart relation, a latch member having a portion pivotally mounted on one of said plates and having a second portion disposed to move towards said plates at substantially right angles to the planes thereof and to swing across said recesses, and a spring between said plates and having a portion in the path of movement of said second portion of the latch member and adapted to be moved by said second portion of the latch member out of the path of movement thereof, thereby placing said spring under tension until said second portion of the latch member clears said spring portion and sits therebehind to retain said second portion of the latch member in latched position.

6. An end connector for watch bracelets as claimed in claim 5 characterized by the fact that the top plate has a cam surface for engaging said other leg of the movable latch member to bind the pivoted leg of the latch member against its bearing to prevent forward and rearward movement of the movable latch member when in its closed position.

7. An end connector for watch bracelets as claimed in claim 6 characterized by the fact that said top plate has a cradle and flat portions forwardly and rearwardly of the cradle, that said spring has an intermediate curved portion received by the cradle, that said spring has flat portions at each side of its curved portion for engagement with the flat surfaces of the top plate.

8. An end connector for watch bracelets as claimed in claim 7 characterized by the fact that said top plate and bottom plate have cooperating flanges and edges respectively to retain the bottom plate in its proper position in the top plate.

9. For use in joining a watch casement having open ended attaching knuckles to a bracelet, an improved end connector for watch bracelets comprising a bottom plate having a recess therein, a top plate having downwardly depending flanges for supporting said top plate above said bottom plate, said top plate having a recess complementary to and disposed in vertical alignment with the recess in said bottom plate, a latch member hingedly carried by said bottom plate and positioned to pass through and beyond said bottom plate recess to be received by said top plate recess, and spring means supported and held in operative position by both said plates and having a keeper normally positioned within said top plate recess to engage said latch member when said latch member is swung to a seated position within said top plate recess and spaced from and in a plane substantially parallel to said bottom plate, said recesses being adapted to envelope the open end portions of the attaching knuckle of the watch casement and said latch member being positioned to pass through said attaching knuckle and retain said knuckle within said recesses.

OTTO ROBERT KOSTKA.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 24,362 Wallach June 7, 1859 307,054 Kelly Oct. 21, 1884 486,256 Leehey et al Nov. 15, 1892 967,141 Merriman Aug. 9, 1910 1,382,256 Tomchin June 21, 1921 1,571,425 Mataloni Feb. 2, 1926 2,530,800 Augenstein Nov. 21, 1950 2,549,410 Augenstein Apr. 1'7, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 631,236 France Sept. 12, 1927 

